Power shaft coupling structure



Feb. 18, 1947. E. P. LAMB l PowER SHAFT coUPLING STRUCTURE Filed July l, 19421 INVENToR.

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| l l l Il Patented Feb. 18, 1947 ZAiSt POWER SHAFT CQUPLING STRUCTURE Ernest P. Lamb, Grosse Pointe, Mich., assignor to Chrysler Corporation, Highland Park, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application July 1, 1944, Serial No. 543,096

This invention relates to power shaft couplings and is particularly concerned with improvements .in a power shaft coupling structure for drivingly connecting the propeller shaft sections of an armored car rear wheel drive.

In armored cars and trucks having multiplewheel, for instance, six-wheel drives, power is conventionally transmitted from the engine to the transmission and from the latter to a gear transfer case from which propeller shafts ernanate and extend to the various axlesv of the vehicle. Customarily, the transfer case is located forward of the rear axles of the vehicle and where, as in the present invention, it is desired to provide independent drives from the transfer case to each of the rear axles, it is essential that the propeller shaft-connecting the rear-rear axle by-pass the rear axle. In accomplishing this resuit it has been found expedient to construct the propeller shafting to the rear-rear axle in two sections, one connected to the transfer case by a universal joint, the other connected to the rearrear axle by a universal joint, and the two sections connected by a coupling shaft structure also through universal joints.

It will be appreciated that the propeller shafts are necessarily located in a region crowded with other structural elements and it is therefore of utmost importance that the coupling be as simple as possible in construction and readily disassembled and reassembled in the location provided for it. In this connection it has heretofore been proposed to employ a coupling structure in which the coupling shaft had a central portion fixed endwise in a pillow block between spaced anti-friction bearings by a shoulder outwardly of one bearing and a nut drawn up against the other. The nut was not readily accessible. Each end of the shaft moreover, had a tapered portion to which a connecting member such as a clevis or yoke of a universal joint could be clamped. The construction was such that the shaft could only be disassembled in one direction and then only with great difficulty since it was necessary to remove the bearing clamping nut. Furthermore, the structural features of the shaft were such that it was best made as a forging thus adding substantially to the overall cost of the coupling.

Although delays due to the difficulties of asseinbly and disassembly may not always be disturbing in servicing armored vehicles at suitable stations equipped for that purpose, it will be understood that under emergency conditions requiring field servicing, time is of the essenceand therefore any handicaps of disassembly as de- 2 Claims. (Cl. 180-22) scribed above in connection with the coupling structure could be serious. Accordingly, it was desirable to improve this condition. Furthermore, due to the relative vertical movement between the chassis and axles and between the axles themselves when the road wheels go over surface irregularities the propeller shafts are subject to deflection during rotation which may induce whip. It is therefore also desirable to mount' the coupling in a manner to keep this deflection to a minimum in order that whip of the propeller shaft be avoided.

I have discovered that the assembly difficulties may be overcome and simplification of construction and reduction in manufacturing cost of the coupling be simultaneously obtained by so arranging and constructing the coupling such that the shaft section thereof may be disassembled from and entirely removed from either end of its support merely by the unturning of a single nut which is readily accessible. Moreover, by securing the pillow block of my construction to the rear axle of the vehicle I secure a minimum change in angularity between the propeller shaft sections and thereby inhibit the dangers of shaft whip in operation.

Accordingly, it is the general object of my invention to provide a power coupling structure for the rear-rear propeller shaft of a multi-wheel drive that is readily accessible, easily disassembled, and reassembled and that is simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture.

Another object is to provide a power shaft coupling structure for connecting two propeller shaft sections of a multi-wheel power drive, the shaft section of which may be easily disassembled from either1 end of its bearing support.

A further object is to provide a power shaft coupling that may be disassembled from either end of its bearing support by merely unturning a single nut, readily accessible to the mechanic.

A further object is to provide a power shaft coupling structure in which the shaft section thereof may be produced from bar stock as distinguished from a forging.

Still another object is to provide a power transmitting propeller shaft for connecting the rearrear axle of a multi-wheel drive from the gear transfer case ofthe vehicle, the said Ishaft including a coupling structure for the sections thereof supported .from the rear axle whereby to reduce whipping tendencies of the shaft in rotational operation thereof.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. l is a plan view of a six-wheel drive armored car, most of the body being cut away to show the power plant and propeller shaft drives between the transfer case and the rear axles;

Fig. 2 is -a longitudinal section of the power shaft coupling of my invention taken at .2 2 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a crossI section taken at 3-3 of Fig. 'l showing the manner of securing the coupling structure of Fig. 2 to the rear axle of the vehicle.

Referring to the drawinafmy invention is illustrated as embodied in an armored car 'having a six-wheel drive with independent propeller shaft i connections between the transfer .case .and the respective rear axles. An engine vIll of any 'well known type transmits power to a conventional transmission l2 through a connecting input shaft M. The output shaft it of the transmission drives-the input member! 8 of a transfergear .box 29 of :well known construction secured to the chassis which -in turn .delivers power to propeller shafts 22, 24, and 25 drivingly connecting with the front, rear, and rear-rear axles 28, 30, and 32 respectively of the vehicle.

The rear-rear propeller shaft 26 as seen in Fig. l comprises sections 34 and-35 operably connected by 4universal joints 38 and il respectively toa third shaft section-42 (Fig. 2) carried in pillow block i4 of my coupling structure generally designated by the numeral 46. The coupling structure las shown in Fig. 3 is `mounted on the rear axle 30 Vby bolts 49 which pass `through flanges i ofthe pillow block d4 and anchor in pads-53, 54 on the upper side-of the vaxle lon ywhich the coupling unit is seated. The stated arrangement makes it feasible to directly driving-ly connect the transfer box and the rear-rear axle with a minimurnof danger from whip bythe shaft26 in rotation. In 'this connection 'it will'be vobserved that thefroad wheels 55 ofthe reanaxles are supported by springassemblies S through spring trunnion bearings '1168 :secured to the vehicle chassis t2. Accordingly angular deflections-of 'the propeller shaft section 13A results only from idiierences in vertical .displacement ofthe Vroad wheels of the rear .and vrear-rear .axles and in the case of the shaft section 3G from relative displacement between the rear axle and chassis.

A particular-feature of the invention is the construction of the coupling unit M5 -to enable easy 2a-ndr-apid disassembly of the coupling structure, and from either side of the rear axle. As shown in Fig. 2, the unit d5 comprises a supporting bracket or pillow blocked, the hollow cylindrical body portion -41 of which has a multi-step bore at each end forming the shoulders 48 and 5B. Supported upon anti-friction roller thrust bearings "52 seated against the shoulders 48 at each end oi the support 44 is a vbar-like cylindrical `shaft 42 having a central relieved portion 5S and outward portions`58 of similar construction, each of which terminates in a threaded por- 'tion oi reduced sectionforming a shoulder 52 with its respective portion .58. It will lbe noted that the portions 58 constitute the largest section of the shaft and therefore may be removed from either yend of the pillow block through the inner race vof 'the most remote thrust bearingZ.

Each portion 58 of the shaft 2 is externally splined .as .at ,61% to non-rotatably `and slidably mount a connection member for instance, a universal joint yoke or clevis 66 which is provided with mating splineways to receive the splines of the shaft 54 portion 58.

The yokes 66 are secured endwise on the shaft 54 by means of washers or collars B8 and stop or locking means, for instance nuts l, the latter being threadedly received over the threaded portions-6D .of .the .shaft d2. Each yoke is recessed as .at 'i2 to receive the 'nut and washer and to provide for reception of a socket wrench. Moreover, a shoulder 'ill is provided against which the washers 68 are seated.

'The .pillow block lill is provided with an oilreceiving cavity 1E surrounding the shaft i2 into which oil maybe admitted through the oil cup l.

'Suitable oil seals .8D are located between the wall of the body portion 47 of the pillow block 44 and the outer surface of the hubs 82 of the universal joint yokes 66 to prevent leakage.

It will be observed that assembly ci the coupling structure is quitesimple since all the elements assembled on the shaft 42 are held clamped between vthe end nuts lil, a spacing tube 86 with or without spacing `shims 88 Vbeing provided to properly space the bearings 52 and to prevent cramping between the inner and outer races of the bearings. Thus the unit maybe assembled by slipping one yoke 66, for instance, the right hand yoke in Fig. 2 over the shaft 42, the yoke d6 carrying a sealing ring 8D and drawing the washer d3 at this end against the shoulder 62 by a Ynut lil. The opposite end of the shaft 42 may then Ybe passed through the bore of the inner race of a bearing 52 previously seated in the right-hand end of the pillowblock and the necessary 'bearing spaoingtube with .or without shims be then passed .over the left hand end of the shaft. Alternatively, a similar procedure may be followed but the bearing and spacing elements be first assembled on the shaft and the shaft be then assembled through ,the bore of the pillow block withthe bearing 52 seated against the right hand shoulder 48. Following either of the foregoing steps the left hand bearing 52 may be slipped over the vleft hand end ci shaft .152 and assembled in place over the portion 553 of the shaft at that end and against the left hand seat ,d'8 of Vthe pillow block, this being followed by the left hand yoke and seal Si! and by the washer 68 and nut 'lll to complete the assembly. It will be noted that the distance between the shoulders 'id oi Vthe two .end yokes is greater than that between the shoulders $2 of the shaft. Accordingly, when the left hand end nut is Ydrawn up, pressure will be transmitted through the yokes, bearings and spacing means to the other nut, and all parts will be adequately held in position. Suitable locking means maybe'provided for the nuts iii to prevent loosening thereof.

When it is desired to disassemble the unit, it is merely necessary to unturn either end nut and push the Vshaft in the opposite direction.

'By using the shims 86 the distance between the bearings 52 and the length Yoi the spacing tube 8d need not be held to close tolerances in manufacture, it being merely necessary to measure the ldistance between the shoulders fis and make up the proper spacing means by use of the tube SG andshi-ms 85.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that I have provided a novel propeller shaft drive from the transfer case to the rear-'rear axle of a multi-drive vehicle and a simple and effective coupling for the several sections of such drive that will permit easy and rapid disassembly and reassembly in the iield.

While the particular structure described is Well adapted for carrying out the objects of the invention, it will be understood that various modirlcations, changes and substitutions may be made without departing from the spirit thereof. Furthermore, the various features disclosed and described may be combined in ways other thanV those sho-wn Without departing from the present teachings. The present invention is therefore to be construed to include all such modifications, 1 changes, and substitutions as may come within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

l. A power shaft coupling unit comprising a support member, a pair of spaced anti-friction 1 bearings carried by said support member, a shaft rotatably supported in said bearings and positioned to have a freely overhanging cylindrical portion outwardly of each bearing, said cylindrical portions being of substantially the same diameter and constituting the greatest transverse dimension of said shaft, spacing means comprising a sleeve on said shaft for maintaining said bearings in predetermined spaced relationship, a drive connection element non-rotatably mounted on each of said cylindrical shaft portions and axially slidable thereon, and removable, adjustable, threaded locking means secured adjacent each end of said shaft for securing said spacing means, bearings, and connection members in predetermined axial relation on said shaft by pressure transmitted by said locking means to each thereof.

2. In combination with an automotive vehicle having a gear transfer box, a plurality of rear 3 axles, adapted for drive connection with said box, a multiple section propeller shaft for drivingly connecting said box with the rearwardmost of said rear axles, and a housing for the foremost of said rear axles; a coupling unit for connecting the sections of said shaft, said unit including a pillow block releasably secured to the said housing, a pair of spaced anti-friction bearings carried by said pillow block, a coupling shaft eX- tending longitudinally of the vehicle and rotatably supported by said bearings, said shaft having a freely overhanging cylindrical extension outwardly of each bearing, annular spacing means removably carried by said coupling shaft and extending between said bearings to space the same, a universal connection member nonrotatably and slidably mounted on each said extensions for drivingly connecting with said propeller shaft sections, and a removable nut threadedly secured to each end of said coupling shaft for axially retaining said connection members thereto, said nuts being adapted to apply clamping pressure to said connection members, bearings and spacing means, and the transverse dimensions of said coupling shaft where it passes through said bearings being the greatest crosssectional dimension of said shaft whereby said shaft may be disassembled from a connecting member by unturning the nut retaining said connection member to said shaft and displacing said shaft axially in the direction of the other connection member.

ERNEST P. LAMB.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,168,970 Buckendale Aug. 8, 1939 2,158,320 Bock May 16, 1939 1,742,825 Sanders et al. Jan. 7, 1930 Frank Apr. 30, 1949 

